Discover the islands with the help of locals

The locals of Saaremaa and the smaller islands are known for their hospitality and open hearts. Visitors are warmly welcomed and islanders are happy to share their activities and traditions with them. While on the islands, you will always find friendly people eager to share the joys of their everyday lives with guests.

The locals of Saaremaa and the smaller islands are known for their hospitality and open hearts. Visitors are warmly welcomed and islanders are happy to share their activities and traditions with them. While on the islands, you will always find friendly people eager to share the joys of their everyday lives with guests.

With their interesting lingo, sharp wit and big hearts, the people of these islands are one of the main reasons to visit them in the first place.

Where the locals are the destination

We feel the best way to experience a destination and its culture is through the eyes of the locals. The everyday stories, traditions and even routines that are steeped in island culture make our islands special to the world. Everything our creative and enterprising inhabitants do and make is what makes our islands special. It distinguishes us from other destinations around the world.

More and more visitors are looking for that real, authentic feeling that makes their chosen destination unique. You’re not just a tourist, but a guest in our home. We don’t have big hotel chains or name brands. What we do have are small, genuine family businesses where real locals welcome you. 

Visitors are treated to the very best, and given good advice. Step into backyards and gardens to find out how the locals live and what they do. Get a taste of genuine life on the island. We recommend that when exploring the islands you allow yourself to get carried away by the local way of life and accept the challenge of feeling like a local. Even if only temporarily!

Locals will treat you like the apple of their eye

We believe everyone should befriend at least one local on the island, no matter how short your trip or how distant a visitor you are. 

Once you’ve made it here, you’re sure to find that local who’s ready to greet strangers on the road as if they were old acquaintances, and point out the best beaches and places to buy smoked fish. Bear in mind, however, that the best forests for mushrooming will remain a closely guarded secret! Don’t miss any opportunity to visit the islanders and find out more about their lives. Creativity and entrepreneurship are in our blood. 

 

We’re characterised by a cheerful disposition and an attitude that if you say there’s no way, we’ll find a way. This is accompanied by our island humour, which nothing and no one can resist. Add to that a quiet but steadfast pride. Visitors are often treated to island humour and a helping of island stories. The letter ‘ö’ is still displayed proudly, showcasing the island’s language, which is a real superpöwer. There’s even a monument to it: the Ö/Õ statue marking the dialect border. 

What to do on the island with locals

There are, of course, plenty of ways to enjoy the local way of life and have fun the way locals do. Here are some ideas on where and how to befriend the locals… 

  • Find a local fisherman to go fishing with. 
  • Go out and try local food during the home café days and let them treat you to the good stuff. 
  • Practise decorating folk costume shoes with a local craftsman. 
  • Find a local who can teach you some nice recipes. 
  • Try a local’s home brew. 
  • Go and ask locals what the words nott, kartsas and mõrd mean. 
  • Find out what Saaremaa junipers taste like and what delicacies the locals make with them. 
  • Be curious: talk to the locals about this and that, and listen to their suggestions and stories about life. Get ideas on where to eat, where to sleep and what to visit. 
  • Attend events at which locals open up their gates, doors and hearts. 
  • Use local products and services. Be guided by the EHTNE label. 
  • Visit the villages of Leedri and Koguva, where you can experience local village life. 
  • Let locals tell their stories, as well as those of their ancestors, and the story of our islands. 
  • Showboat freely with the locals while wearing both our traditional, colourful folk costumes and modern local designs. Let’s dress to the nines! 
  • For the truly brave, mingle with the island’s women. 

Capture your local experience and be sure to share your photos and videos. Tell a nice story about your trip to the islands with a friend and share it on Visit Saaremaa’s social media. Tag us on Facebook (Visit Saaremaa) and Instagram (visit_saaremaa). In the latter, use hashtags: #visitsaaremaa #saaremaa #kenalugu.

40% of the population of Saare County can speak the island’s dialect.

Why not come here ... for good?

There’s a saying on the islands that you can never become an islander—you have to be born one. But in reality, it’s not that strict at all. The islands warmly welcome everyone, even those who want to settle here permanently. If you share the islander’s mindset, are ready to respect local traditions and customs, and want to contribute to island life, you are more than welcome—whether you were born in Tallinn, Narva, or even Hiiumaa.

A testament to how much we value new arrivals is the fact that, from the end of 2024, the Saaremaa Municipality has a  Meile elama” (“Come to live”) consultant, who will provide you with personalized advice on jobs, housing, kindergarten, and school placements. She will also guide you to the best sandy beaches, the most thrilling sledding hills, and the richest berry forests. As for the best mushroom-picking spots—those you’ll have to discover on your own.

If your heart longs for Saaremaa, why waste time? Come and stay!

The Saare-Estonian dictionary

The people of Saaremaa are famous for their “ö” sound and their melodic speech. However, it is worth noting that in places like Muhu and Pöide, the “õ” sound is fully present. In addition to “õ,” the inhabitants of the islands tend to change other special characters as well.

Do's and don'ts of the islanders

Estonians are known to be a rather non-religious people and church attendance is low. However, there is a strong belief in folk wisdom and there is also a lot of superstition. We have gathered together some old Saaremaa do’s and don’ts, which are all related to superstition.

Legends and historic figures

Saaremaa is a special place and things are a bit different on this side of the sea. Saaremaa is a land where traces of Vikings can be found, where the world’s edge lies and where an explorer has grown up. Find out more about who and what we’re talking about!

See in addition

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